A Luton Town fans’ view of Nathan Jones
My Charlton mate Rob Waghorn had been in touch with Luton fan Mark during the past week once it was known than Nathan Jones was in the frame for the Addicks’ job.
Rob asked Mark to give his thoughts on the new Charlton manager from a Luton Town perspective. It makes very interesting reading.
Mark is well worth a follow and you can find him on X (Twitter) at either We are Luton Town or Mark the Hatter.
Here are Mark view’s verbatim:
“Straight out the blocks, I’m going to put it out there and say Nathan Jones is an absolutely brilliant manager. But being a Luton fan, I would say that, wouldn’t I. He achieved things at Luton that we could’ve never dreamed of. He was the mastermind and cornerstone of our progression to the Premier League.
Which leads me to what I assume would be most Charlton fans main concern. Nathan experienced abject failure at Southampton and Stoke with a couple of somewhat hilarious but reputation destroying media interviews to boot. Can he only succeed at Luton?
Rather than framing that question as can he only succeed at a certain club, the more appropriate question would be can he only succeed at certain type of club? The answer for me here at this point in time is yes. Due to Jones’s nature, he thrives at small to mid-size clubs. At such clubs he is likely to encounter fewer bigger player egos of whom he clashes with and quickly loses the changing room. With respect, Jones is well suited to crowds of a size that he can engage with on a personal level. Trust me, once you’re on his side he will utilise the Charlton fans support in ways you’ve never seen before. He encapsulates, delights and humours a crowd in equal measure.
Nathan Jones’s greatest asset is his passion and unique character. However, Jones had a fairly modest lower league career. Therefore he had to earn the respect of players at Stoke and Southampton that had played at a higher level. There were no freebies when he walked in door. His enthusiastic but at times abrasive character therefore rubbed certain characters – namely the big earners – up the wrong way. Things went wrong very quickly.
Rather at Charlton he can now work with lower league players that thrive on his energy and vision. His one to one developmental and motivational work with players that are willing to listen to his ideas are first class. We saw it time and time again at Luton and I think you will see exactly the same at Charlton. The fewer Billy big bollocks players Charlton have around the place, the more likely Nathan Jones is to succeed. If you find my suggestion that Charlton is a small to mid-size club a touch bruising, that’s certainly not my intention. Luton‘s journey is somewhat similar to Charlton’s, but our top-level success just came 15 years earlier for the duration of the 80s. Granted we’ve certainly fallen further but given the opportunity, I’m certain most Luton fans would agree Jones could achieve something special at your football club if he’s given chance.
With regards to the set up and backroom staff he brings with him, this is varied in his two spells at Luton. Paul Hart was undoubtably very influential during Jones’s first stint at Luton. However, citing the long journey from his home on the south coast, Hart chose to part ways with Jones during his second spell at Luton. At this point ex Luton town player Alan Sheehan and former Nottingham Forest recruit Chris Cohen came in as his main backroom staff. With Sheehan recently joining Luke Williams at Swansea in a coaching role and Chris Cohen doing the same at Lincoln it remains to be seen who Jones would choose as his back room staff.”
Chicago Addick 
Nath could do a lot worse than appoint Curtis Fleming as his Assistant.. they both like ‘high work rate’ players and like to play on the front foot. In my opinion Curtis has earned a longer stay at Charlton.
I would say Charlton are a medium size club and would be getting not dissimilar attendance to Southampton and Stokes if we were in the same position; OK maybe a little bit less. Certainly a bigger club than Luton.
Over 16,000 watched the game against Derby and we’re hovering just over the bottom three in League One.
Our players are definitely League One level on the whole though, so their should not be any massive egos to worry about bruising. We’ll worry about him bruising big name player’s egos when we are in the Premier League 😉
Hi He was near the of my list of Managers to appoint.
So the board , players and supporters have get behide
him for the LONG TERM, regardless of what happens this
term
(Another) Luton fan here. Wise words from Mark the Hatter. Bear in mind that Luton have barely put a foot wrong when it comes to recruitment over the last decade (ignoring the odd stumble, Graham Jones being one) and NJ came to us with a great reputation as 1st team coach at Brighton.
He made short work of taking us from lower half Div 2 to the top of Div 1 and did so on a severely tight budget. It left a bad taste in the mouth when he jumped ship to Stoke but we still got promoted after he left (although you could see we were missing his tactical nous on matchdays).
At Stoke, as MtH says, he encountered a big money operation where many players were still on PL wages. I think a few of them said “Luton who?” and a good number were happy to sit on bench and bank their cash. His big mistake was to sign a whole load of players who really didn’t produce, I think he thought that getting a few in that Luton would’ve probably signed was a smart move. But it looks like the problem really is Stoke as a club. Since they’ve sacked him they’ve gone precisely nowhere. Anyway, Luton picked up £2 million compo from Stoke, so we’re not complaining.
He returned to Luton during Covid (replacing the aforementioned Graham Jones) and took us from relegation favourites to last-day Championship survivors. And he had us well on the way to Championship play-offs before he took the Southampton job.
He is a character (I’ve spoken to him a few times at the Luton Christmas party) and he wears his heart on his sleeve. If you get him bouncing down the touchline at the final whistle while he’s punching the air then you’ll see him at his best. He’s not shy about saying he’s a Christian (I think, being Welsh, he’s a Methodist) and that does seem to irk some people. He tends to say “God willing” in interviews (and he really means it).
At Luton he had a preference for playing the diamond formation (or variations on that) and thrived with Luton’s “hungry players” approach (i.e. taking players that had been released elsewhere and wanted to prove something). It is amazing what kind of team you can build with free (or nearly free) transfers.
Anyway, I wasn’t entirely surprised to see that the Southampton job ended quickly. Reading some of the comments from their fans, he really wasn’t given chance from the off. Some fans can be snobby, which is ironic as Southampton and Luton basically swapped places. Luton got £7 million compo for that one, so we’re laughing (again).
I’ve always had a soft spot for Charlton, ever since you sold us Paul Walsh (still, for my money, Luton’s best player). I know a lot of Luton fans will be keeping on eye on your results (even the ones who don’t take kindly to NJ’s lack of loyalty).
Best of luck, (another) Mark.
Thanks for your comment and insight Mark.
It’s funny how times change. We sold Walsh (I was a huge fan too) when you were flying high in Div 1 then we passed each other as we made our way up and you made your way down. Then the reversed happened and I look on with lots of admiration of where Luton are now, I really hope you stay up.
Surprised you suggested Paul Walsh as the best Charlton export to Luton? Have you both forgotten Paul Elliot?… perhaps the best English centre half (yes, including Steve Bruce!) to have never played for England 😦
thanks for taking time to post…what a great analysis…very comprehensive assessment of Nathan’s positives and negatives….I am looking forward to Nathan building a team from the ground up…we are a potential club which is probably the lure for him, so now the board must trust him and back him…welcome and good luck Nathan
Good incite and read, I believe that Paul Hart is his number 2 at Charlton.
Both Nathan and Paul have worked with our academy players previously.
Paul Hart hasn’t been announced yet, but he is expected to join.
Excellent review ,and for me spot in
Nathan Jones will always hold a special place at Luton
His passion,drive and commitment as well as his belief and let’s not undermine his coaching are really top drawer.
Good luck Jonesy and hold on and enjoy you Addicks.. ..
Thanks Mick.
Very grateful to both Luton fans for sharing their positive opinions of our new gaffer. As is my way, i was underwhelmed at the thought of Nathan Jones. However, the overwhelming opinion appears to be that he is a good man, a good coach, and knows how to build a successful team both on and off the pitch. So i will put my doom and gloom half empty cup away, and get behind the man.
I do think that some managers are really good at making average players that little bit better. That is certainly what a club like ours needs, and it appears that Nathan Jones could really be that type of manager.
I am not a religious man myself, but if Mr Jones has God on his side then it can’t hurt….can it?
I’m grateful to the Luton fans for posting their positive opinions of our new gaffer. I wasn’t convinced at first, but am slowly coming round. All the indicators are that he is a good man, a good coach and knows how to build a team both on and off the pitch.
I think that some managers are good at making average players that little bit better. Nathan Jones strikes me as that kind of manager and therefore just what a club like ours needs.
I am not a religious man, but if Mr Jones has God on his side, then that can’t hurt either….can it?